Wave motor device



July 31, 1934. c. A. WEBBER 1,968,236

WAVE MOTOR DEVICE Filed Nov. 11, 1931 2 SheetsSheet 1 I INVENTOR (harks/l. M6561 %fumrgq ATTORN EYS July 31, 1934. c. A. WEBBER WAVE MOTOR DEVICE Filed NOV. 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR flfim lwfl. flbbefi ATTORNEYS Patented July 31, 1934 all ' WAVE MOTOR DEVICE Charles A. Webber, Brooklyn, N. Y.

7 Application November 1 Claims.

This invention relates to wave motor devices and has for its object the provision of a wave motor device which is adapted to be operated with a minimumdegree of wave motion. v

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wave motor device adapted to produce a continuous flow of power without the necessity of providing means to store the wave motor energy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, efficient and inexpensive wave motor device.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the invention is more fully disclosed.

In accordance with the objects of the present invention I have devised an assembly of elements comprising the wave motor device in which a fulcrumed arm is supported upon a suitable pier or wharf extending out over the water from the shore-line a suitable distance; 'the short end of the arm extending out over the water and the longer end thereof extending shoreward. A float element is attached to the shorter lever arm and the other end of the lever is adapted to operate suitable air or water pumping mechanism with a vertical rise and fall of thelever, the eflluent of said pump mechanism being conveyed away to operate power generating apparatus; all as will be more fully hereinafter disclosed.

Before further disclosing the nature and scope of the present invention reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 illustrates one modification of the present invention; I

Fig. 2 illustrates a second modification thereof; and

Fig. 3 illustrates a contemplated improvement of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the fulcrum lever arm 1 having a fulcrum point 2 positioned upon the end of pier or wharf 3 carries upon the short end 4 thereof a fioat 5. The other arm of fulfcrum lever 1 (identified by numeral 1) extends shoreward a distance several times that of the length of arm 4. With this arrangement of fulerum lever arms a relatively small vertical movement in lever arm 4 resolves itself into a relatively large vertical movement at the end of long arm 1.

This movement may be utilized in the generating of power. One of the most simple ways of adapting this vertical movement or displacement of the longer arm of the lever to the generating of power is to adapt it first to the pumping of water and thereafter utilize the water in the generating iof power in any convenient manner heretofore 1, 1931, Serial No. 574,293

employed in the art. Other means effecting substantially the same power generating result may be utilized, if desired.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention I will disclose the apparatus devised to apply this vertical movement in the pumping of water which in turn is to be used in the generating of 1 power. I am not to be limited thereby to the specific embodiment as the broader methods of application of this vertical movement of the lever arm are contemplated by me.

The end of the lever arm is slotted as indicated at 6 and is provided with a bar '7 adapted to roll freely in the slot 6. The slotted end of the lever is positioned between vertical parallel bars 8. Small lever arms 9 are positioned upon the parallel bar 8 substantially as shown with the shorter arm thereof adapted to be engaged by the bar 7 upon a vertical movement of the lever arm 1. The long arm of levers 9 are attached to one end of a rope or cable 10 running over pulley 11; the other end of rope 10 being attached to pump arm 12.

In the specific embodiment shown when the fulcrum lever 1 is actuated by a rise and fall of float 5 the end of the long arm engages by means of bar '7 one or more of the fulcrum arms 9, thus exerting a downward pull on the end of cable 10 thereby raising up pump handle 12. Weight 13 is provided on the end of the pump handle 12 to return the handle to its initial position when a reverse movement in the fulcrum lever arm 1 is obtained. As a result of this cycle, pump 14 is actuated and water flows therefrom into inclined trough or channel 15 from whence it is conveyed to power generating means.

Whereas I have shown a single fulcrumed lever attached to a float, I may equally as well employ a plurality of fulcrumed levers attached to a single large float, each longer lever arm being adapted to energize mechanism adapted to generate power as is illustrated in the modification disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3.

In Figs. 2 and 3, identical parts are identified by the identical numerals applied to the parts' in Fig. 1. The ends of the short arms of a plurality of fulcrumed lever arms 1 are fixedly positioned at spaced intervals to float 5 each individually functioning in the pumping of water substantially in the same manner as hereinbefore described with respect to the apparatus of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 3, the ends of the short arms of the plurality of lever arms are grouped in the manner illustrated through a common fulcrum point.

To provide for a rise and fall in tide a plurality of fulcrumed lever arms 9 are provided. These may be spaced apart any convenient distance depending upon the particular tide conditions where the apparatus is installed.

It is also believed apparent that the specific relative position of vertical parallel bars 8 with respect to end of lever arm 1 may also be varied Widely without departing essentially from the present invention depending upon the-wave height existingrat the point of installation of the: wave motor device.

The relative lengths of the lever arms'inay also be widely varied depending upon the conditions desired amount of motion necessary to'operate-- pump 14.

The weights of float 5, lever arm 1 and weight 13 must be adjusted relative 't'o ea'ch pther for eificient results, the specific adjustments obviously depending upon conditions at the point of in stallation- V l w i j x It is believed clear from the. above description. taken in connection with the drawings that the Wave motor device or the present invention'is adaptedto beoperated underv conditions where; there is: a minimum wave height and therefore: singularly free from periods of inactivity due'to periods of calm or waveinactivity. Heretofore in the art; wavemotordevices have been depend-Q ent-upon a relatively large risewand fall of the Waves at the point otinstallation. In periods of calm the efficiencies of these prior art wavemotor devices have fallen. In the present invention periods of calm will have relatively little effect upon the efliciency of the wave motor device andthe device may be installedin places Where the average rise and fall of the wave is relatively low and where the same. may be protected fromthe unusual conditions incident to storms; floods and the like. Moreover, it is believedclear from the above description and drawings that the wave. motor device of the present invention is operative I irrespective of variations in the tide level of the body of water and also operative with. substantial equal efliciency at any given waveheight and througha relatively wide range or varying Wave heights. The general adaptability and utility of. the present. inventionthereby is greatly enlarged,v

Having with particularity broadly. and. specifically disclosed the present invention, it is apparentthat many modifications and departures may. be made therein without departing. essentially from the. nature and; scope thereof asmay be set forth in the following claims.

' What I claim is: h

1. A wave motor device. comprising afulcrumed lever having a. shortarm anda long arm, means to support the said lever with the short annexe tending out over water, a float element rigidly attached to the end of said short lever arm and means to translate the vertical, riseand f,al;l'.,of said long lever arm incidentto wave motion acts. ing upon said float to the generation of power irrespective of variations in the tide level of said water and with substantial equal eff ciency atany. given wave height. I

2. A. wave motor device comprising a plurality of fulcrumed leverseach having a short arm and. a. long arm, means to support said levers with the,

right angles thereto a distance beyond the said standards, said cross bar being adapted to be lonthe other arm thereof being-adapted to.

short arm extending out over water, a float element rigidly attached to the ends of said short lever arm, and means to translate the vertical rise and fall of said long lever arms incident to wave motion acting upon said float to the generation of power irrespective of variations in the tide level of said water and with substantial equal efiiciency at any given wave height.

3. In a. wave motor device ,ot the type described and claimed. in claim 1, wave 'motiort translating means comprising a pair of standards positioned vertically adjacent the end of the longer lever arm and on opposite sides thereof, a cross bar attached tosaid long lever arm and extending at gitudinally movable along the said long lever arm e'nd 'andto'ridevertically along the said standards and a. plurality of fulcrumed levers positioned in vertical spaced relation upon the said standards withthe arms thereof, extending. in a, plane parallel to-the said long lever arm ina positionadapting.- one of the arms, of-said' plurality-of levers to: be interceptedby.thesaid cross; bar as'it-is vcrtically displaced along the saidstandardlay-arise and fa-11:01 said long lever arm and means-to 0p-.: erativelyconnectwtheoppositev arms of said pin-1: rality of leversto power generating means.

4. In a wave motor device of the type described--, and. claimed in 'claim' 2-,; waveimotion translating 105 means comprising a pair of standards positioned; vertically adjacent the end of each;- long lever: arm and on opposite.sides;;thereof, across bar attached tto each lenglever arm and extending; at right anglesthereto a distance ,beyondthe said o standard-s i i -ieross-bar, e ne-adap dt l e-1on1;- gitudin'ally movable along-the said'; lever arln end; and to,ride, vertically,along the said; standards, anda plurality; ot 'fulcrumed. levers; positioned. in. vertical spaced-relation uponeach of the said-.115 standardswith the arms thereof extending; in a.- plane parallel to thesaid-long lever arms and a positionadapting one of; the arms of said plu ;v rality of levers tobe intercepted by the-said cross barvas it -is-vertically displaced along the -said.12'9 standard by a rise and; fall. of; said longlever arm and. meansw -to.-operat ivel y connect the opposite arms of said plurality -of levers to power generate; ing means. q 5 t '1 5-. In a wave-motor device-comprising a ful- 1 5 crumed lever-supported out over the-water with; the shorter armthereof attached, to afioatelem rada te -to ri and a wi the nave-m tion of said Water, means adjacent the end of'the.

I longer--arm--to utilize the-vertical movement of said arm in the generation of power, said means; comprising a rollerelement positioned ina; slot in the end'of said longer lever arm and adapted toride therein against the-sideof a vertically extending support, a plurality of fulcrumed levers positioned on said support and disposed in spaced relationship thereon the full. potential verticaL displacement distance of the longer lever arm due. to tide variations, one armof said leversbeing positioned so as to be engaged: by said roller, and 149 energizethepower generating apparatus; 

